Michel Estellet-Brun -

l’oeuvre d’orgue

Michel Estellet-Brun (born in Bordeaux in 1943) studied the organ at the Schola Cantorum in Paris, and then undertook further study with Gaston Litaize and Pierre Cochereau. His appointments include Beauvais Cathedral, the Abbey of Royaumont, and the churches of Notre Dame de la Croix, St Georges and St Joseph des Nations in Paris. His discography includes a recording of organ music by the Czech Josef Klicka, on the Alpha label: bringing the work of this unjustly neglected composer to public attention has been a substantial element in his career. His stoplists include the oratorio La Passion à Menilmontant as well as much solo organ music, some of which is published by Fagus in Scotland and Delatour. He is currently working on a series of stoplists inspired by Paul Claudel’s poems on the Stations of the Cross. Michel is a frequent visitor to England and has played at Salisbury Cathedral (where he improvised a 44-minute Symphonic Suite in four movements before an enthralled audience of young organists), Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral and, most recently, at Westminster Cathedral, where he played a set of improvisations during a Sunday evening Mass. He has also played in Germany and the Czech Republic, where he gave the final concert of the Organ Festival of Eastern Europe in the Basilica of Olomouc, as well in his native France. In 2006, Michel was decorated by the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris, receiving the Gold Medal of St Gregory for his outstanding services to church music over nearly forty years.In 2015, he received the decoration "Chevalier des Arts et Lettres".Michel Estellet-Brun is organiste emérite of St-Joseph-des-Nations.ORGAN WORKS(Description by Michel Estellet-Brun himself)1. Poème des Rameaux Rameau’s poem improvisation - this work shows the incompatibility of the two aspects of Celebration into one, which in fact should be two distinct Celebrations 1), the ovation for the incoming Christ into Jerusalem 2) the reading of the Passion evoking his crucifixion, the promiscuity of both these aspects always disturbed me.Improvisation - cette oeuvre montre l'incompatibilité de deux aspects de Célébration en une seule qui, en fait devraient faire l'objet de deux Célébrations distinctes 1) , L'ovation pour le Christ entrant dans Jérusalem 2) Lecture de la Passion qui évoque sa crucifixion, la promiscuité de ces deux aspects m'a toujours perturbé.2. CantilèneImprovisation - work of tenderness dedicated to my wife Françoise.Improvisation - oeuvre de tendresse dédiée à mon Epouse Françoise.3. Verset Improvised on this theme as a commentary on a Psalm and dedicated it to my aunt Denise (now defunct) who loved Wagner.Improvisé sur ce thème en commentaire d'un Psaume et dédié à ma Tante Denise ( aujourd'hui disparue ) qui aimait Wagner.4. Communion de l'Assomption Assumption communion, improvisation - my intimate prayers cater mostly to the Virgin Mary, work dedicated to Norma, the mother of my friend David Adkins as a token of my deep Affection.Improvisation - mes prières intimes s'adressent le plus souvent à la Vierge Marie , oeuvre dédiée à Norma , la maman de mon Ami David Adkins en témoignage de ma profonde Affection .5. à PatrickImprovisation transcribed, created at the request of parents whose children died by "autolysis", which has been the subject of one CD containing 9 pieces based on their names translated by their musical theme, others will be transcribed.Improvisation retranscrite , oeuvre créée à la demande de parents dont les enfants sont décédés par " autolyse " a fait l'objet d'un CD comprenant 9 pièces basées sur leur prénoms traduits par leur thème musical, d'autres seront retranscrites .6. Improvisation lors des obsèques I 6. Improvisation lors des obsèques II6. Improvisation lors des obsèques IIIFuneral – three improvisations1) Marie-Thérèse reparaît 2) Offertoire Resurrexit 3) Au revoir Marie-Thérèse This person with a cancer, great friend and parishioner of St.Joseph of Nations, died while me myself, suffering from the same disease, "escaped", the ceremony took place a few weeks after my operation, work marked by anxiety, fear, but